Press Releases

FEDERAL MINISTER KEN DRYDEN ADDRESSES ROYAL WEST ACADEMY STUDENTS

MONTREAL, DECEMBER 14, 2005– Federal Minister of Social Development Ken Dryden, the former Montreal Canadiens Hall of Fame goaltender, spoke to students at Royal West Academy in Montreal West Dec. 14. Mr. Dryden was accompanied by Federal Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler (MP for Mount Royal) and N.D.G. Lachine MP Marlene Jennings.

Ms. Jennings described Mr. Dryden as a role model for students given how he played professional hockey and attended law school at the same time. He is also an established author and in fact donated a copy of his best-selling book The Game to the school library, presenting it to Principal Mary Reynolds and student Gregory Randolph.

Mr. Dryden told students that during his playing days he lived at the corner of Monkland and Royal in N.D.G., not far from this school. And while he was born in Hamilton and raised in the Toronto area, his mom spent her early years as a resident of Montreal West.

On the subject of education, Mr. Dryden talked about how when he was growing up most parents had not gone to university. "My father dropped out in Grade 11," he said. "That was the responsible thing to do because you wanted to go out and work. But for my generation born after WWII our parents were of the mind that their kids were going to university."

Mr. Dryden decided to spend most of his time listening to what students had to say about Canada and issues which concern them. Topics of discussion included the environment, complacency, the treatment of Natives and intolerance.